UP police recruitment scam: Mayawati recommends CBI probe

India

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Published: Monday, February 4, 2008, 17:05 [IST]

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Lucknow, Feb 4 (UNI) Dubbing the infamous police recruitment scam case, which had taken place during the earlier Mulayam Singh Yadav regime in the state as a ''sensitive matter,'' the UP government today recommended handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Chief Minister Mayawati made this announcement at a press conference this afternoon stating that it was resolved at the state cabinet meeting which took place this morning.

''The recommendation for the CBI probe has been made in a letter sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today,'' she said.

The decision of the CBI probe was decided upon on the basis of the report of the committee headed by the state Chief Secretary which was constituted vide cabinet decision on October 4 last, the UP CM said.

She made it clear the case had been recommended to the premier investigating agency in view of the senstivity of the case as the Committee had found prima facie the involvement of senior politicians like the former PWD minister (Shiv Pal Yadav) and the then Director General of Police (DGP). ''The prima facie findings have revealed that the money changed hand in recruitment of police personnel between the years 2004-06, while other gross administrative irregualrities had taken place during the course of recruitment in police, PAC and police radio wings,'' she claimed.

As many as 55 recruitment boards had been set up and after the preliminary probe, the recruitment of 18,884 constables was cancelled by the Mayawati government. Twenty five IPS officers in the rank of IGs, DIGs, SPs had been suspended after the initial probe into the complaints of irregularities had been committed in the recruitment.

The CM said the inquiry also found that the posts on which the iregular appointments were made never existed. ''Considering the wide ranging propositions of the matter, the CBI probe is thought to be the need of the hour,'' she said.

Ms Mayawati -- when asked why the case was referred to CBI instead of entrusting the probe to some state agency -- said she would not like to invite blame of any political vendetta behind the inquiry hence the decision to go for a CBI probe was made.